Shea butter

A long term partnershipIn the 1980s Olivier Baussan, the founder of L’OCCITANE, visited Burkina Faso for the first time. He had heard about the shea butter, also called “women’s gold” recognized as an ideal beauty ingredient for the skin.Since 1989, L’OCCITANE has been working with these women in the spirit of sustainable joint development.

Direct purchaseL’OCCITANE purchases directly from the cooperatives in Burkina Faso, more than 600 tons of fair trade shea butter, which add value to the 16,000 women’s work.This exchange is more than just a commercial relationship. Shea butter is prefinanced up to 80% and paid a fair price, which covers production costs, and leaves a margin for investment.

Our fair trade networkIn 2009 we professionalized the channel certifying it EFT, Fair Trade by ECOCERT. Our shea butter producers can now promote their goods more effectively to an international clientele in order to achieve sustainable emancipation.﻿